Love it or Leave It: C-Section

Since I have only had one child, I have nothing to compare with my first birth experience. Having a c-section was not part of my birth plan, and would probably have been a little judgmental towards those who chose to have a c-sections without first trying a vaginal birth. So, of course, that is exactly what happened to me.

prepped and ready for surgery

This post is not about how I came to have a c-section, it is about whether I liked having a c-section, and the short answer is: It was one of the best experiences of my life. And not just because it was the moment I got to meet my son. The whole experience was great. It might be because it all happened so fast and I did not have time to worry about any of it. The epidural did not hurt. My midwife was there encouraging me along the way. I felt like the doctor preforming the surgery was confident and ready. The anesthesiologist explained everything as it was about to happen, there were no surprises. The only negative was that I got nauseous for a short time right after Eli was born, but I get nauseous very easily so it wasn’t anything new.

There were a few negatives though. The first time I stood up after the surgery was the most painful thing I have ever experienced. But it did get easier each time I got up and I was able to walk (while pushing a wheelchair for support) to the NICU to see Eli the next day. There was a time about 3 weeks after Eli was born that I was still in a good bit of pain. I had been feeling pretty good, and probably tried to do too much, and as a result ended up feeling worse. It was so frustrating to feel like I was going backwards in my recovery. I had to listen to my husband, and take it easy for a while longer before expecting to feel better.

For me, the positives of my c-section outweigh the negatives. So, Love it or Leave it?—Definitely Love it!